Blue Birds in a Row....

I’ve about had my fill of winter. The novelty has worn off. We’re at the part of the season where your vehicle stays in a state of permanent filth. You’re pretty tired of your winter clothes. And realistically, we’re still talking about six more weeks of winter. Suck it up..right!?!?

Have you ever seen a quilt that the pattern cover just didn’t do it justice? Colleen showed me in her posting Bluebirds in a Row—I thought ‘cute’. But I didn’t give it much thought. But I went to Primitive Gatherings last Wednesday and saw the display….

I knew it meant an end to winter. Maybe it was the colors of their hand-dyed wool (lots better than the pattern photo). I kind of have the Cabin- Northwoods thing going on in my house so I thought it was perfect. I traced it and cut it out tonight. I needed a handwork project since I finished my Baskets of life stitching.

I guess quilts are like books…they shouldn’t be judged by their covers---(even pattern covers..:)

Gratitudes:
The dishwasher
New Needles
Cheese Toast

F A I T H . . . . . .

I needed a reminder a few months ago--- so I got this for myself.  I'm not a big jewelry wearer. I think I have four pairs of earrings total.  Every piece of jewelry I own means something.  It's
F-A-I-T-H... as in...'Never lose it...'... I guess at the time I was thinking, " As long as it was around my neck-- I wouldn't..."  Don still is not working, but I have optimism and hope...enough for both of us......

This has hung in my sewing room just like this for a while.  It was a friendship gift from Amy.  She even included scraps so I could make it bigger.  Chelsey has decided that hopefully she will have her own place next semester and wants a brown couch for a pink and brown living room.  This was the first thing I thought of.  I guess there is always a reason for a quilt.  So I took my scraps and added a couple of fat quarters and created

16 more blocks.

It's a nice size now.  I found some fabric on clearance for backing--- maybe tomorrow I'll post it.  I'm thinking a brown patchwork border and it will be ready for quilting.  It looks like Chelsey.

I had a great weekend--- It just wasn't long enough. 

Gratitudes:

Pink thread

Mackinac Bridge - Makes it easier to get to Eric

Never losing...Faith.

Baby Blankets

I have to work late tonight…. The bright side is I don’t have to go in so early. The pups wake up at the usual time so I leave Don sleeping and get up with them. I’m a morning person anyway so no complaints. A friend over at V & Co. is requesting baby receiving blankets

so I printed out the instructions and made a couple this morning to send. I just love working with flannel. I’m in no hurry--- but I’m going to be an awesome gramma one day….

We’ve missed out on the last two snowstorms that have hit the Midwest. I guess there is a perk to living in the “Way Up North” of the U. S. .

I’m finishing up a 2009 BOM project with only 1 ½ blocks left. Hopefully it will be completed by this weekend. We’re having dinner with friends Saturday night and a quilter will be there. We usually slip off unnoticed and share the projects we’re working on right now….

Chelsey’s learning life lessons--- the Radio station she’s working at was sold. The new owners came in and fired everyone and rehired some (including her). Tough lessons….hard lessons, but life lessons she’s learning first hand. I told her she needs to write down ' Life lessons they don’t teach in college textbooks.' But she presses on…..

Eric's is learning cool stuff -- has a class on herbal remedies. I just love talking with him. We're going to see him in March. The weather is too unpredictable for him to come home right now. Plus the heavy load of classes. I stress over him, but he and Chels talk daily so she's the thermometer for Eric--- "Mom, he's fine..."

I better load up the jeep and get to work…..

Gratitudes:
Baby flannel
Ruffles—my new thing
Phone call from a friend

Her Birthday----

Chelsey turned twenty on Thursday. The two radio stations in the college town she lives in announced every hour throughout the day. The entire city had to of known it was her birthday---- she ate it up…..


Wow… she’s twenty….no tears. It’s not what you lost it’s what you had. I loved the little girl….Managed the teenager…And completely adore her as an adult.

We celebrated last weekend, with a girl’s day out to Green Bay and Appleton. No quilt stores or department stores—except Kohls. We laughed about fun “on a budget”. Our first stop was a meat market. Only Chelsey would Reggae the “happy dance” over a Smoked Chicken and her own pound of beef brisket to take back to school. The market is huge and there were 30 people—literally ---in front of us--- but we picked out son-in-laws while we waited…..

Like her Mother—ruled by her stomach—we had lunch and started shopping. She had Christmas money left over and a ton of birthday money from relatives. Being the only grand-daughter on both sides of the family, she’s completely spoiled.

With dreams of having her own apartment this summer, we had our shopping focus. We purchased things for her bathroom, a shower curtain, rug, toothbrush holder. While she’s completely the “UP TOWN” girl, DNA proves without a doubt we have a link. The obsession with dishes(she’s picked out solid yellow ones), dishtowels, and cloth napkins is an undeniable link. She purchased some and I threw in a couple.

A great day—we sang in the car all the way home….

I sent her this for her birthday --- Telling her when she one day writes for the New York Times, or A Great American Novel she’ll remember me.

I did some sewing for her—that she’s coming home for today. I don’t know that I can picture her carrying the purse, but I definitely see it hanging on a hook in her apartment. The journal is a pattern from V and Co. I just made it an inch bigger than the directions and added batting for some quilting.

The fabric….I know Chelsey, while she appreciate my colors, has a style of her own. Looking in the quilt cabinet I seemed a little lean on her “colors”.   I had some Moda Faded Memories in a Miss Rosies Quilt Co. kit that I had saved for 3 years for a dream of making that “Southern” quilt my grandmother would have exactly made—colors and all. I looked at it. And Looked at it again. Time, a place shop and $$$ were all factors. I dove in and used the fabrics. The Pastel quilt would have to wait….it wasn’t even on the list anyway…

I think my Grandmother would have approved…….

Happy Birthday Chels----

Gratitudes….

Pups sleeping in until 7 am
Covered buttons
Chinese Takeout

Thank You-----

--- for the pattern below…

I had a fun coffee break, studying the photo and going over the instructions more than once. A friend from Lower Michigan sent it to me. I’ve tried emailing her again and again since Friday and Yahoo keeps sending her email back to me. I’ve even replied to emails she’s sent me and they come back. I finally decided this was the best way to get the message across. I never want it said that quilters are ungrateful. Many times, I've stated that I read more about quilting than actually using the needle and thread. But it’s all worth it…
The history lessons you learn,
the warm covers you make,
and the friends you meet along the way---
Denise keep in touch….I’d love to see photos of your progress….